CFN 2012 First Look Rankings
No. 101 to No. 124
2011 CFN First Look Rankings
- The
Top 10 |
Rankings 11-25 |
Rankings 26-50
-
Rankings 51-75 |
Rankings 76-100 | The
Bottom 20
2011 CFN Final Season Rankings
- The
Top 10 |
Rankings
11-25 | Rankings
26-50
- Rankings
51-75 |
Rankings 76-100 | The
Bottom 20
- CFN 2011
FINAL Rankings, Top 25
2012 CFN First Look Rankings
- The
Top 10 |
Rankings 11-25 |
Rankings 26-50
- Rankings 51-75 |
Rankings 76-100 | The
Bottom 24
-
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It might seem way too early, but considering the
returning starters and the teams coming back, before
Signing Day and spring ball, where does everyone
stand? Here's CFN's first look at all the teams for
2012. The First Look Ranking is based on how good
the teams appear to be at the moment.
124. Texas-San Antonio (4-6)
Led by former Miami head coach Larry Coker, the
Roadrunners jump into FBS play with a decent-looking
run defense and a terrific pass rush. However, the
team that lost to McMurray and McNeese State while
beating up on Minot State and Bacone will be a
punching bag for a while. Ten starters return to a
4-2-5 defense that’ll sell out to get into the
backfield led by end Marlon Smith. The offense was
really, really young last season, starting seven
freshmen at times, but the payoff should come with
only one starter – left guard Mike Sanchez – needing
to be replaced.
123. Texas State (6-6)
The Bobcats and head coach Dennis Franchione were
solid last season, but they got obliterated by Texas
Tech and Wyoming in the two games against FBS teams.
The offense revolves around the ground game, but
three starters are gone off the line. The backfield
is back including top rushers Terrence Franks and
Marcus Curry, while mobile quarterback Shaun
Rutherford should make TSU one of the WAC’s top
rushing teams. The defense only loses three
starters, but two of them are linebackers Josh Minde
and Bryan Iwuji.
122. Florida Atlantic (1-11)
The Owls have to find an offense right away under
new head Carl Pelini, and it starts with getting
more from QB Graham Wilbert. The O line gets three
starters back and the top receivers return for a
passing game that was the least efficient in
America. Alfred Morris was the offense, and now the
attack has to find a running back to work around.
The defense should be better under the new coaching
staff, and while end Kevin Cyrille is gone, ten
starters return.
121. South Alabama (6-4)
The Jaguars enter the Sun Belt with a good-looking
veteran team coming off a decent year. They battled
well in a loss to NC State and lost to Kent State
33-25, but there weren’t any good wins. This year,
the 16th best defense in the FCS gets back ten
starters in the 3-4 including the entire front
seven. The offense needs to find some semblance of a
passing game with C.J. Bennett back. Three starters
are gone off the line, but the running attack should
be terrific with Kendall Houston and Demetre Baker
both big, promising backs. True sophomore J.J.
Keals, Demetre Baker, and Tyrone Bivins will form
one of the nation’s best kickoff return trios.
120. Massachusetts (5-6)
After a painful second half collapse losing four of
the final five games, UMass is starting over with
Charley Molner taking over as the new head coach.
The new MAC member loses top running back Jonathan
Hernandez, and finding a steady starting quarterback
is a must after Kellen Pagel struggled. Perry
McIntyre is a good pass rushing linebacker to work
around, but there’s work to do up front and in a
secondary that wasn’t strong enough.
119. New Mexico (1-11)
Bob Davie has a ton of work to do trying to erase
the disaster that was the Mike Locksley experience.
Any improvement has to start with the lines that get
three starters back on the offensive side and has
some rebuilding to do on the defensive front.
Tackling-machine linebacker Carmen Messina is gone
as are both corners. QB B.R. Holbrook has to
establish himself as the leader from the start, and
he has decent receivers to work with including TE
Lucas Reed. The rushing combination of Demarcus
Rogers and Crusoe Gongbay will be featured from the
start.
118. Akron (1-11)
One of the nation’s worst programs over the last few
years under Rob Ianello, now it’ll be up to Terry
Bowden to try to change things around with QB
Patrick Nicely leading a veteran offense that’ll be
more mature in the backfield. However, four starters
are gone from the O line. The defense gets tackling
machine linebacker Brian Wagner back, but both
defensive tackles have to be replaced.
117. Memphis (2-10)
It’s a new era for Memphis football after a few
years of being among the worst programs in college
football. New head coach Justin Fuente’s first task
is to improve as pass defense that finished dead
last, allowing close to 300 yards per game, Three
starters are back in the secondary, but they need
help from a pass rush that was merely a rumor last
year. Both starting defensive ends are gone, but the
real killer is the loss of tackle Dontari Poe a year
early to the NFL. Leading tackler Terrence Thomas is
done, but the rest of the linebacking corps returns
intact. The offense needs playmakers and has to
settle on a quarterback after Taylor Reed took over
and with Andy Summerlin in the mix. Leading rusher
Billy Foster is done, as is top receiver Tannar
Rehrer. Four starters return on the O line.
116. Tulane (2-11)
New head coach Curtis Johnson has a ton of work to
do to improve one of the nation’s worst scoring
offenses and scoring defenses. Three starters are
gone from a defensive line that wasn’t bad at
getting into the backfield, but seven starters are
back including the entire linebacking corps and star
tackler Trent Mackey. Corner Ryan Travis is a good
ball-hawker to count on. Ryan Griffin is a good
quarterback to work around and Orleans Darkwa is a
terrific back, but the line loses three starters and
the O needs to find a steady target for Griffin.
115. Buffalo (3-9)
The Bulls fell off the map defensively last year,
but it should be a bit better with fight starters
back including great-looking pass rusher Khalil Mack
and active end Colby Way. The offense needs more
consistency and punch, and it’ll start with finding
a new starting quarterback – likely Alex Zordich –
to take over. RB Branden Oliver should have a huge
year working behind a line that gets four starters
back.
114. UAB (3-9)
New head coach Garrick McGee has to completely
retool the offensive line that was so strong in pass
protection, losing four starters. QB Jonathan Perry
is back along with all the top skill players other
than WR Nick Adams. Greg Franklin and Darrin Reaves
should form a solid 1-2 rushing punch if the line
can come together in a hurry. The defense was dead
last in the nation in sacks and 119th in tackles for
loss. All the ends return, but both starting
defensive tackles are done along with MLB Lamanski
Ware. All four starters are gone from a secondary
that was among the worst in college football.
Excellent punter Trey Ragland needs to be replaced.
113. UNLV (2-11)
Will things ever start to turn around for the
Rebels? It’s head coach Bobby Hauck’s third year,
and he needs to find an identity for an offense that
didn’t go anywhere and a D that couldn’t stop anyone
but Hawaii. The running game should be fine with Tim
Cornett and Dionza Bradford good enough to work
around. Finding a steady quarterback is a must
between Sean Reilly and Caleb Herring, but the
nation’s 118th-ranked passing game will struggle
even more with Michael Johnson and Phillip Payne
done. Six starters are gone from a defense that
finished 118th in points allowed.
112. Troy (3-9)
A major disappointment, the Trojans couldn’t seen to
do much of anything right but throw the ball. QB
Corey Robinson will put up huge numbers with all his
receivers returning, but he loses LT James Brown,
his top pass protector. Nine starters are back on an
offense that should lead the Sun Belt in yards, but
can the defense stop someone for the first time in
years? Losing pass rushing end Jonathan Massaquoi
hurts a line that had a hard time getting into the
backfield. Five starters are gone from a D that
couldn’t afford to lose too much experience.
111. ULM (4-8)
The league’s best run defense loses two key starters
– Ken Dorsey and Troy Evans – up front, and leading
tackler Jason Edwards and top safety Darius Prelow
are gone. Both corners – Nate Brown and Tim Taylor –
have to be replaced, too. The offense needs to be
more explosive, and that starts with more production
up front with three starters back including
sophomores-to-be Joseph Treadwell and Ben
Risenhoover on the left side. QB Kolton Browning is
a playmaker, and he has a good group to help with
leading rusher Jyruss Edwards back along with top
target Brent Leonard.
110. Middle Tennessee (2-10)
After a disastrous 2011, the Blue Raiders should be
stronger with QB Jeff Murphy leading an offense that
moved the ball, but didn’t score. Benny Cunningham
and William Pratcher will handle the running game
behind a decent-looking line, while the passing
attack gets three key targets back including leading
receiver Tavarres Jefferson. The defense that was
such a nightmare last season will be experienced up
front with all four starters returning, but the
linebackers have to be better even though Roderic
Blunt is the only returning starter. The big problem
is a secondary that loses all four starters.
109. New Mexico State (4-9)
The Aggies are slowly starting to improve under head
coach DeWayne Walker, but it’s going to be tough to
break through with most of the star programs leaving
the WAC. QB Travaugh Colwell has to prove he’s
ready, and he’ll get a ton of help from Kenny
Turner, a likely all-conference performer. Three
starters are gone from the line as are targets
Taveon Rogers and Todd Lee. The defense didn’t make
any major strides, and now it has to replace three
starters up front and the entire secondary.
108. Idaho (2-10)
Can head coach Robb Ikey get the program back to
bowl form after a disastrous 2011? The offense has
to be far better in all phases, and it starts with
QB Taylor Davis needing to grow into the job. Three
starters are gone off a line that didn’t do anything
for the running game that needs former JUCO transfer
Ryan Bass to produce. The defense that finished
101st in the nation has to replace six starters
including leading tackler, MLB Tre’Shawn Robinson.
107. Eastern Michigan (6-6)
After the breakout/breakthrough 2011, head coach Ron
English is hoping for even more from an offense that
struggled to score but ran well. QB Alex Gillett is
among the MAC’s best dual-threat playmakers, and all
the top backs return to work behind a line that gets
back four starters. The defense loses two starters
up front and both starting safeties.
106. Colorado State (3-9)
Alabama offensive coordinator Jim McElwain has to
jump-start an offense that finished 101st in the
nation in scoring, but his bigger issue is a
miserable defense. Getting more out of the defensive
line is a must with three starters back and six
starters returning to the back seven. QB Pete Thomas
seemingly would've thriived under McElwain, but he's
transferring, meaning the top returning receivers
have to do more. Chris Nwoke is a good
back to hand off to. However, three starters are
gone up front.
105. North Texas (5-7)
Dan McCarney is one of the Sun Belt’s better
coaches, and he showed why by starting to revive the
program last year. He’ll have to go on without RB
Lance Dunbar to work everything around, and
little-used reserve Brandin Byrd has to prove he can
handle the work. Derek Thompson is a big passer who
should be better with a decent receiving corps
returning. The defense made a little bit of
improvement, and it should make great strides up
front with six starters back in the front seven.
However, all four starters are gone from the
secondary.
104. Central Michigan (3-9)
The Dan Enos era isn’t exactly rocking and rolling
with two straight awful seasons. This might be the
payoff with QB Ryan Radcliff leading a veteran
attack that gets everyone back up front and returns
most of the top targets. The defense might have been
among the worst in the MAC, but the entire line
returns and most of the secondary is back.
Linebackers Mike Petrucci and Armond Staten will be
missed.
103. Bowling Green (5-7)
Will Bowling Green actually have a strong defense
for once? After starting a slew of underclassmen
last year, and with ten starters returning, it can’t
be anything but stronger. The passing attack gets QB
Matt Schilz back with two years of experience, but
the top targets are gone. Four starters are back on
a line that did a great job in pass protection.
102 Ball State (6-6)
First-year head coach Pete Lembo got no defense
whatsoever and his team died down the stretch losing
three of the last four, but six wins for Ball State
is always a success. Four of the wins were bad,
though, including the season opener against Indiana,
but there was a quality win over Ohio. Winning close
games is what it’s all about, but for good and bad,
five of the six victories came by a touchdown or
less.
101 Miami University (4-9)
Can the RedHawks rebound back into 2010 form? The
offense that couldn’t run a lick has to find a back,
and the line that was so awful has to be better with
four starters returning. Zac Dysert is a talented
quarterback, and he gets back top target Nick
Harwell. The defense loses linebacker Jerrell Wedge,
but eight starters return to a group that allowed
just 364 yards per game.
2012 CFN First Look Rankings
- The
Top 10 |
Rankings 11-25 |
Rankings 26-50
- Rankings 51-75 |
Rankings 76-100 | The
Bottom 24
-
Follow us on Twitter ...
ColFootballNews